Overseas students and net migration figures

Last week, Britain’s Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced an investigation into the impact of international students on the UK. Kamal Rahman, Head of Immigration at Mishcon de Reya, featured in the ‘letters to the editor’ in The Times commenting on this development.

“The government’s commitment to attracting the “brightest and best” to the UK has already been damaged by its conflicting rhetoric on immigration. That 97 per cent of students from outside the European Economic Area return to their country of origin upon completion of their studies is in itself a clear argument for removing this group from net migration figures, and I would urge the government to do so.”

The last month has been dominated by the passage of the Brexit Bill through the House of Lords, not least as the Government does not have a majority in that chamber so has to work harder to get its way.